What Could Have Happened
by disneyanimationfan
Summary: It is the night before the Mystery Twins' 18th birthday. However, both of them get afflicted with nightmares; Dipper on what Mabel would endure had he taken Ford's apprenticeship, and Mabel on what Dipper would endure had she not survived Weirdmageddon. Dipper and Mabel bonding; angst
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Surprise, surprise, I am back! I thought I was officially done with writing fan fiction for my **_**Gravity Falls**_** head-canon earlier in the year, with "BFMTF" being my intended last one…but recently inspiration struck me, and I have decided to return with another story, this time to celebrate Dipper and Mabel's 20th birthday!**

**This is supposed to be a multi-chapter story, and I know it would have been better if I could upload all of it today, on the actual special day. But I'm kind of stuck on how to continue it right now (even when an idea strikes, it takes a lot of effort to actually get good stuff out…), so I have decided to just publish the first chapter today, and gradually upload the rest, hopefully one chapter per day, starting tomorrow. I hope the birthday mood will still be around by the time I actually do finish!**

**Well, without further ado, enjoy!**

**(The twins are about to turn 18 in this fiction. Yes, I'm still in the past.)**

**CHAPTER ONE**

Wednesday, August 30, 2017. 11:15 PM. Piedmont, California.

It is a quiet evening in the Pines household in the small, hilly Bay Area town. Dipper and Mabel, having just graduated from high school earlier in June, are in the kitchen making final preparations for their birthday party the next day. They are a day away from becoming 18 years old – official adults. And in late September, the two will be off to college at the University of California, Irvine, down south in Orange County.

"Just imagine, in only about a month we will be heading out of here for good towards college!" Mabel exclaimed.

"Yep. It's kind of nice we will also get to have most of September off, too. Guess that's what happens when the university you choose to attend runs on a quarter system instead of semesters," Dipper replied. He adjusted some of the chairs by the table.

Mabel went over to a small, white party cannon that seemed to have come directly out of a popular kid's cartoon based on a toy line by the same company. She yanked at the string behind it, and confetti blew out all over the area.

"Probably should have saved that for after we blew out our candles," Dipper commented. "It's not as fun when you just have those colored papers littering the floor."

"I was only testing. And it works. Don't worry, I got tons more confetti to load this baby up," Mabel smirked. Dipper rolled his eyes, but smiling nonetheless.

"Looking good, kids!" Mr. Pines exclaimed as he came into the kitchen. "I've never seen you two spend so much time and detail on your birthday party."

"It's a milestone birthday, dad!" Mabel chirped. "We are turning 18 years old and becoming full adults. And shortly afterwards we will be heading onto college! It's got to be huge!"

Mr. Pines chuckled. "I know, I know. But seriously, you two have spent all day in here. It's about time you two head off to bed. Don't want to have eye bags around all your friends and classmates tomorrow."

Dipper and Mabel did some last minute check-ups and decided to call it a day. All preparations are in order for the party to commence the next morning, once the first of the guests start arriving.

The rest of the evening went by routinely. The twins changed into their sleepwear, brushed their teeth, and headed to their bedrooms to wind down and tuck themselves into bed. Of course, not without saying good night to each other first.

"Good night, birthday boy," Mabel winked at Dipper before entering her room.

"Good night to you two, birthday girl," Dipper winked back.

The twins each went into their rooms and slid under their bed covers, with Mabel having her scrapbook out and Dipper with one of his mystery novels. After a few minutes of browsing, they set aside what they were looking through, flicked off their bedside lamp, and settled in for the night.

Tomorrow was going to be a great day.

A special day.

…

_To be continued_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

"…_**Ford's apprentice? Seriously?"**_

"_**Look, I was thinking, and…this is a huge opportunity for me."**_

"_**Well it's a horrible opportunity for ME! I had the worst day of my life! When we turn 13, summer ends, and I have to leave everything behind. You're the only person I can count on and now YOU'RE leaving me TOO?"**_

Early September, 2012. 10:50 PM. Underground lab, Mystery Shack. Gravity Falls, Oregon.

"…That sounds like an amazing plan, Great Uncle Ford," Dipper commented. "There's so much to explore here in this town, I didn't even know if it would be possible to come up with something…I can't wait to start!"

"I feel your enthusiasm, Dipper. I had studied the mysteries of this town for over half a decade, and I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface," Ford replied. "And now with the rift sealed, eliminating the only way Bill can get through, and Mabel back home, and Stan out of the shack, we have all the time and space to get going. No distractions. Just going to be you and me." Ford took off Dipper's cap and affectionately ruffled his hair.

"I'm glad I chose to stay, Great Uncle Ford," Dipper smiled, putting his cap back on.

"I am too, Dipper," Ford smiled back. "Well, it must be getting late now. Should be about time for you to head on to bed. We got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Good night, Great Uncle Ford," Dipper said as he headed to the elevator back up to the shack.

"Good night, Dipper."

After arriving in what used to the gift shop (now back to a storage unit), Dipper headed upstairs and brushed his teeth. He went to Stan's bedroom – well, his room now, since Stan was forced to leave once more at the end of August – and took off his cap and vest. He sat down on the bed, took off his shoes, and plopped himself down on the mattress.

"Man, tomorrow I'm finally going to see how a real professional does paranormal hunting. I don't even know if I'll be able to sleep properly tonight," Dipper said to himself. He reached over to the bedside lamp and flicked it off. He tucked himself under the blanket, and closed his eyes to sleep.

Mid-October, 2012. Morning. Piedmont, California.

"What…Huh…?" Dipper found himself floating in the air, his body translucent, as if he is a ghost. "Where…the middle school?" Dipper looked around and saw that he is in the courtyard in front of the Piedmont Middle School building. There are no students loitering about or sitting among the open-air table sets, so it must be class time.

Dipper floated around the main building, not sure why he is where he is or how he is what he is. At one point, Dipper decided to float into one of the classrooms.

"Well, if I really am a ghost, then they can't see or hear me, and it won't be considered disrupting class…," Dipper told himself as he diffused through the door.

However, Dipper stopped when he realized that this isn't just any class he wandered into – it's Mabel's class. And judging by the writing on the chalkboard, it's math class.

In the back corner of the rows of desks sat Mabel, looking glum. Her cheek is pressed on her notebook, and is fiddling her pen with her hand.

"All right, I'm going to be passing back your chapter tests now," the teacher at the front said. "Most of you did pretty well. An 85.26% class average."

The teacher proceeded to pass out the test sheets, calling out the name of the student on the paper at the top of the pile. It wasn't long before she reached Mabel's.

"Mabel…" the teacher said. Mabel got up from her seat and headed up front. She grabbed her paper, took one look at the score on top, and let out a huge sigh. She sulked back to her seat all the way in the rear of the classroom.

Dipper zoomed to where Mabel sat, and saw why she is upset: a 61%.

That can't be right. As much as Mabel hated math, and it is her worse subject, she never got anything lower than a B- or a C+. She does much better in school than she gives herself credit for.

Mabel let out another deep sigh. "Guess I'll be flunking the eighth grade then, if not just eighth grade math…," She moaned.

"Oh, Mabel…," Dipper said, but then remembered that in his current condition, she can't hear him.

"Hey Mabel, what did you get?" A girl slid over to the 13-year-old's desk.

"None of your business," Mabel mumbled.

The girl, however, simply looked over Mabel's shoulder and glanced at the glaring percentage scribbled at the top. "Wow. A 61? That's got to be the lowest score in this entire class!"

"Yeah, yeah, you saw my total. Happy now?" Mabel groaned as she put her cheek against her notebook again.

"More like sympathetic. Seriously, I knew you were terrible at math, but THIS bad? Wow, I guess without your brother you really don't know how to do basic equations. But too bad he's not here anymore to tutor you…or do your homework for you, if that's how it was done."

"Shut up!"

"Well, good luck!" The girl hummed and strolled back to her seat.

Mabel let out a small sniff. Dipper could see tears welling up in her eyes. A drop slid down her face and onto the test sheet, making a large discoloration on the paper.

"Oh Dipper…if only you were here to help…," Mabel sighed. "Without you…I can't even recognize numbers…"

Dipper instantly felt guilt hit his stomach. Math was the subject he was arguably the best at. In fact, Dipper was good at every subject – well, except P.E. class.

Mabel herself does very well in her classes too, but math is the real tricky one for her. Dipper would often help her out with her homework, clarifying concepts she didn't understand, and guiding her on questions she got stuck on. Being in a more advanced math course sequence than Mabel, Dipper always found whatever Mabel had to do in her class to be easy, but understood her struggles. It was because of Dipper which is why Mabel could even get math at all.

And now, with Dipper no longer going to school with her anymore, Mabel is left on her own. She struggled keeping up in lectures, and she is not one to approach teachers for help. So in a sense, she really is abandoned.

Dipper got interrupted from his thoughts when he realized that he has been transported to another location.

Mabel's bedroom.

"What? How…?" Dipper is seriously wondering how he is transported seemingly by light speed. However, he didn't have much more time to think, as Mabel just entered.

The sad eighth-grader sighed and dropped her bag by her desk before slumping into her chair. She sat there upset for a few moments, and then proceeded to dig out one of her folders from her backpack.

Mabel threw the folder onto her desk and opened it up. From there she pulled out several sheets of paper.

"Progress reports…," Dipper mumbled to himself. He floated closer to see the overall percentages that Mabel got.

English – 92. Quite good.

Science – 85.

Social studies – 86.

Creative writing – 98. Well, obviously Mabel will do well in an elective catered to her interests.

And finally, mathematics – a glaring 72.

"Oh no…," Dipper felt himself saying out loud. With his tutoring, Mabel would always make it out of math with a B- or B…but without his help, Mabel's efforts can only garner her a C-.

Dipper looked closer at her math progress report, and saw some handwriting in red ink: "Ask parents to arrange a conference." That can't be good.

"What am I going to tell mom and dad?" Mabel lamented to herself. "Ugh, I'm so ashamed of myself! If only I weren't so stupid, if my IQ isn't zero, this wouldn't have happened…"

_No, Mabel, you're not stupid! _Dipper thought. He wished he could say them out and Mabel can hear him. _You're really smart and hardworking! I mean, look at the other subjects! You did very well in those! Don't just focus on math…And even for math, you're only struggling because I'm not here…So it's actually MY fault…_

Mabel let out a sniff, and buried her face into her hands before letting herself descend into a full sob.

"I'm hopeless…I'm going to flunk middle school…," Mabel cried.

_No, Mabel! No! That's not true…_

Dipper suddenly found himself in a yet another new environment.

_Piedmont High School._ Dipper identified the white-colored buildings connected by open-air breezeways surrounding the central quad, where he is floating above.

Unlike when he first found himself in the middle school, there are students milling about in the quad and in the breezeway. It must be brunch or lunch time.

Dipper drifted towards the Student Center, where the food purchase area and tables for eating are located. He morphed through the wall and into the building.

There are students lining up by the ordering area and many others at the tables eating. Judging by the trays filled with various plates and fruits, Dipper deduced that it is lunchtime rather than the shorter, more casual brunch.

It didn't take long for the boy to find Mabel.

The girl, looking visibly older, maybe around 14 years old, but still recognizable, emerged from the end of the line at the order area. She is still wearing her usual sweater and headband, and has a backpack on her and holding a tray full of food. But there is one thing off: she is frowning.

_Oh no…what has high school done to you now…?_ Dipper gulped, not sure what to expect in these next few moments.

Mabel sulked around, looking for an available spot to sit. No one noticed her, or invited her over to a table. No one even shot a glance or a nod at the teenager. It's like she's invisible.

Mabel headed over to a table with a bunch of other girls, but still has a space available. However, once Mabel approached, one of them slapped her hand on the empty spot.

"Sorry, no freshmen are allowed to sit at our table," the girl said condescendingly at Mabel.

"Why not hang with your own underclassmen, _unicorn girl_?" another smirked.

_Unicorn girl? That insult…_Dipper felt his stomach twist even further.

Mabel simply sighed and moved on. She made a few more looks around, and then settled to just eat on the floor near the entrance. She sat down by the wall, and took off her bag.

"Ugh, this thing weighs more than a ton!" Mabel exclaimed. "So many papers and junk in here, and I barely have time to organize…Wendy's right, classes do get super hard."

The freshman looked up. Still no one noticed her, or even bother to care about her situation.

"…And that everyone hates you," Mabel added. She let out a deep sigh and started gloomily eating her meal.

_We always did ate together during lunch…_Dipper thought, before suddenly finding himself back inside his own house.

This time it is right in the living room. And it wasn't long before Mabel came strolling in.

In terms of age, she didn't look too different; perhaps a year or two older. Sophomore or junior year, most likely. It gets harder to tell by this point.

But overall appearance-wise, something is VERY off. Not only does Mabel look sad and depressed, as she was before, but she is no longer wearing one of her signature hand-knitted sweaters. Instead she is wearing a dull, dark-colored hoodie, with no fancy colors or stitching. She doesn't even have her headband or any earrings on. Never had Mabel looked so…serious.

Mabel plopped down onto the couch and let out a sigh. A sigh that Dipper has heard too much and can't stand to hear her let out again.

Mrs. Pines came in, and greeted Mabel. "Good morning, Mabel, breakfast is almost ready. Hey, what's with the get-up?" Mrs. Pines gestured towards Mabel's clearly out-of-character outfit.

"What's with the get-up? It's the new Mabel," Mabel answered. "No more of that childish, goofy, immature junk. No more wool sweaters, glitter, or stickers. This girl is done with unicorns and fairies."

"Uh, no this isn't Mabel," Mrs. Pines tried to be playful. "What have you done to the _real_ Mabel, missy?"

"I _am_ the real Mabel, mom!" Mabel suddenly burst out. "I've decided to change literally everything about myself. Everyone at school keeps picking on me for still being like a kid, for not acting like a true grown woman, for still thinking about princesses and rainbows when I should really be thinking about colleges and getting a job, for basically being SILLY!"

A hole got punched in Dipper's heart upon hearing that word: silly.

"I'm 16 years old, mom. It's about time I stop acting like I'm 6 years old. Even though I kept acting and looking like such up until yesterday," Mabel huffed. "No one will accept me or take me seriously unless I actually behave my age. So that means, goodbye literally everything that I have always held so dear to me! Behold, the new and improved Mabel! No smiling, laughing, or spontaneously choking up glitter 100% guaranteed!" Mabel threw up her arms in a dramatic fashion.

Mrs. Pines just stood there, perplexed and not knowing what to say. She simply cleared her throat. "Well…your pancakes are waiting for you. Why not come over and eat on it?"

"I'm going to try and call Dipper," Mabel said. "Haven't spoken to him in over three years."

"Three years?!" Dipper gasped out loud. "But that's like, since we left – I mean – _you_ left Gravity Falls! Have we seriously not talked at all…?"

Mrs. Pines shrugged and returned to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Mabel pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and put the call on loudspeaker.

Ringing.

"Hi, this is Dipper Pines. I apologize for currently being unavailable," a voice that sounds like a deeper version of Dipper's came on. "I promise to get back as soon as I am done with my current research in the woods or the lab, wherever I might be right now. Please leave a message."

A tone.

"I'm not even going…," Mabel grumbled and simply ended the call. She threw her phone to the side and buried her face in her hands.

"Dipper…how could you ignore me all these years…?" Mabel murmured. "Are all your mysteries and nerd junk seriously more important than your own twin sister?"

_Of course not! You are the most important part of my life…how can you say that?_ Dipper felt his heart sank once more.

"High school _is_ the worst!" Mabel let out, very close to sobbing. "I thought I could still count on you to help me get through these terrible years of angst-y moods, homework, homework, and more homework, and people hating on me for every possible reason. Even if you are away from me…But no! Thanks to you, I struggle in math class, am lonely and empty 24/7, and basically have no other friends I can turn to. You were my only friend! Though now that I think about it…were you really one? Were you _ever_ one? I doubt you even felt the same way."

Mabel cupped her face into her hands again, and started crying for real.

_No, Mabel, please don't be like this…please…_Dipper could feel himself on the verge of crying too. _This is all my fault…I left you behind…This was all my doing…Mabel, please, please don't feel bad…please don't cry again…_He has seen her cry too much these past several minutes.

"Mabel, I'm so sorry…," Dipper finally let his own built-up tears spill out, and went into a sob of his own. "I abandoned you…I…_abandoned_…you…"

Mabel continued crying into her arms, unaware that her brother too is feeling the exact same way. Feeling her pain, and guilty over what he had inflicted.

But there is no way for her to tell. As far as she knows, it's just her in the living room.

It's been only her for more than three years.

And she can't bear it anymore.

And neither can Dipper.

…

_To be continued_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

"…_**I think I'm going to kill one of them now just for the heck of it! Eenie…meenie…minee…YOU!"**_

Late August 2012. At a time that clocks are unable to define. Gravity Falls, Oregon.

It all happened so quickly. And so terribly. And freaky.

Upon the mad nacho demon snapping his fingers, Mabel could feel herself leaving reality, leaving the solid, material world, into the void, into nothingness. It is like she is being yanked out of her own body.

And she has.

"No…no, no, NO, NO!" Mabel gasped as she frantically felt herself. Her hands can go through her belly. She looked down at herself, and saw that she is translucent, her legs and feet a white, misty color.

She's a ghost.

She just died.

"MABEL! NO ~!" The most painful, agonizing, and heartbroken cry Mabel has ever heard in her entire life interrupted her panicked thoughts.

And it came from her brother.

The helpless scream echoed off the walls of the Fear-amid, and struck right into Mabel's nonexistent core.

She felt like screaming herself.

A vicious, condescending laugh rang through as well.

"Oh Pine Tree…you poor, poor thing…Your sister's good as dead! Nothing you can do about it!"

Never had Mabel felt such intense anger for that mocking tone.

"Last chance, Sixer. Deal now, or your nephew will be the next to go!"

"YOU BRING BACK MY NIECE THIS INSTANCE!" Ford yelled at the top of his lungs. He is panting heavily, trying to keep in his own tears from flowing out.

"How about you shake my hand first, and then we talk?" Bill continued taunting.

_I can't see this…I really can't see this…_Mabel shut her eyes and put her hands up to her head, not wanting to know how this torturous scene will continue to go down.

_Please…I wish I was out of here, somehow…I wish this can all blow over…I wish I can just transport to, what, several days, or a week – I don't know – out of this! I just want to get as far away from these current fleeting seconds as I can…_Mabel thought, flinching at the piercing laugh of the insane, unstoppable Lord of Chaos.

"Huh…?" Mabel opened her eyes, and found herself out of the Fear-amid. Out of the dark, living nightmare inflicting her earlier.

In fact, out of Gravity Falls.

In her California home.

Her own bedroom.

The curtains are drawn shut, with only a faint beam coming in between the sheets. The room is dark and quiet.

Except for a soft weeping.

Mabel looked down and saw a figure curled up right in the middle of the carpet.

Her brother.

Without his hat or his vest on, and hair more disheveled than usual, Dipper just lay there sniffing to himself, with one of Mabel's sweaters clutched very tightly against him. He barely moved, except for the faint up-and-down movement of his back from his breathing. Tears flowed out from his shut eyes, moistening the wool sweater he is holding on to as if it is the last and most valuable possession he has left in the world.

The scene just broke Mabel.

The door slowly opened. Mabel turned and saw her father peek inside.

"Hey buddy…Are you feeling a little better now?"

Dipper made no response.

Mr. Pines walked in and sat next to his mourning son. He gently patted his back.

"Hey, it's okay there…I miss her just as much as you do," Mr. Pines said. He let out a large sniff, but resisted the urge to start crying himself. "She was my daughter…and losing a child will never be easy…And you…You lost your sister, your best friend…"

Dipper still did not say anything or moved an inch out of his position.

Mr. Pines let out a long, discouraging sigh. "It's already been several days since the funeral…since we came back…School would be starting tomorrow for you, but I get it if you still want some more time off to yourself…Heck, even I wish I could extend my own break from work…"

Mr. Pines wiped a tear from his eye. He proceeded to stroke Dipper's messy, uncombed hair.

"I'm really sorry, pal…Both you and your mom have had a really tough few days, and that's a serious understatement…You've spent most of the time cooped up here in your sister's room, hugging one of her sweaters or her scrapbook, with the curtains always closed as if you're afraid the sunlight will damage these precious reminders of your twin…You mom similarly has never left our room, always in bed…It's very, very saddening for me as well, to see all of you – all of _us _– in such a miserable state…," Mr. Pines rubbed his eyes with his other hand, and made one more depressed sigh.

The middle-aged man continued sitting there silently, occasionally switching between ruffling his son's hair and patting his back. Dipper remained motionless and silent, his tears soaking the sweater he continued pressing against his chest and face.

From the doorway came the family cat. It made a few soft meows, catching Mr. Pines' attention. The cat strolled over to Mr. Pines and rubbed against his side, before proceeding to climb onto his lap.

"You miss Mabel too, don't you?" Mr. Pines addressed the feline. "She used to cuddle with you a lot, and was the one who fed you, cleaned your litter box, dangled toy rats and fishes in front of you…"

The cat made another soft meow. It sat down and curled up on Mr. Pines' lap, and started purring – a very sad and depressing purr.

"Oh my poor family…," Mabel said aloud. She herself felt like crying, crying over how her remaining relatives are coping with her loss.

"And Dipper…," Mabel continued. "I never knew you would be this devastated…I miss you too, bro-bro…I wish I could be here too to comfort you, but all I can do is float here without you seeing or hearing me…"

Mabel let out a sniff of her own. Her heart sank deeply watching her twin in such a state. He really does look as if he had just lost everything. They were, after all, always together, and never did things apart from each other. They were one, and without the other…

_Dipper, please don't remain like this…_Mabel thought. _I really don't want to see you still all sad and gloomy several weeks, or even months, from now…_

Mabel was interrupted once more when she discovered that she has been transported to a different place again.

Piedmont Middle School.

Mabel looked around and saw that she is in the open-air courtyard between the main building and the slope that rises up towards Magnolia Avenue. It is most likely lunchtime, as there are students eating by the table sets and milling about.

The girl drifted around for a bit, and saw her brother sitting by a wall next to a classroom door, in the shade away from the sun. He has one of his novels out, but doesn't seem to be concentrated or that absorbed. The bags under his eyes are more prominent than usual, implying the 13-year-old has been getting more sleepless nights.

Most likely as a result of his sister no longer being around to alleviate his stress…

Two boys came strolling over to where Dipper sat. Mabel knew immediately what is going to happen. How she wished she could do something; but being invisible, anything she says will be unheard and her hands will simply go through the bullies if she tries to push them away.

"Oh hey, it's Dipstick!" One of the boys called out.

"Same usual spot. Man, you must be really dumb to keep sitting here every day when you should have known we will be coming back," the other added.

"So?" Dipper simply responded back. Dipper raised his book up towards his face, trying to appear unimpressed.

However, one of the bullies simply reached down and plucked Dipper's cap off of his head.

"What the? What gives, man?" Dipper exclaimed. "Leave my stuff alone!"

"Well, you got to pay us first," the bully with the hat smirked. "And it's really easy too: simply lift up your hair, and show us your forehead."

"Yeah! Come on dude, what's so secretive about what's above your eyes? Why you got to keep covering it?" the second teased.

"Shut up! Give me back my hat…," Dipper tried jumping up to grab his cap. However, the bully simply shoved him back towards the ground.

The second one then squatted down and used a pen to quickly lift up Dipper's hair, revealing his Big Dipper birthmark. The source of most of the bullying towards him all these years.

"Quick man, snatch a picture!" the partner-in-crime said.

"Don't touch me!" Dipper slapped the pen away from his forehead. "And not with some random object, no less! And even less so if you just want to laugh at my birthmark!" The eighth grader got back onto his feet, and started jumping up towards his cap, being held up high by the first tormentor. "Now for the last time, give me back my cap!"

Once more, Dipper got shoved towards the ground by the bully. The smirking jock then hurled the cap back towards the poor boy. Dipper flinched and let out a small yelp of pain as his hat bounced off his cheek.

"Wimp!" both of the bullies taunted in unison. They did a high five before turning around and strolling away, chuckling to themselves.

"Ow…," Dipper moaned as he rubbed his cheek. A girl humming to herself walked by, and simply stepped over Dipper, acting as if he is a fallen tree or some easily-avoidable roadblock.

The boy picked up his cap and placed it back on top of his hair. He sat up, and let out a large sigh. He cupped his face into hands, and proceeded to silently weep.

_Those heartless goons…If only I could've smashed their butts right there on the spot,_ Mabel fumed in her mind. She looked back towards her brother, crying and helpless.

"Dipper…Don't be so hard on yourself…," Mabel said out loud.

Dipper's crying simply got more intense. Soon he is sobbing, his knees up to his chest and his face buried in his arms. A more few of his classmates passed by and didn't give a second glance at him.

"What is up with you people?! Can't any of you just spare one moment to comfort a poor soul?" Mabel exclaimed.

The girl floated down next to Dipper. She lifted up her hand, and slowly lowered it towards Dipper's shoulder. Not even feeling the vest, her hand simply diffused through.

"I wish I could hug you, bro-bro…Hug you so tightly that the tears can't leak out anymore…Hug you as if you are the most precious thing in the universe…which you are, hands-down, to me at least…Oh, how I so want to snuggle you right now…," Mabel said sadly. She let out a small sniff. "But…even if I tried to, I'll just end up hugging myself…And you won't even feel a thing…"

Dipper continued sitting there moping. Still not one of the other students nearby cared or approached Dipper.

"I know deep down, you must be missing me…Missing me very terribly…Wishing that I was here to teach those knuckleheads a lesson…Here to tell you that everything is all right and that whatever you say about yourself is not true…Here to let you know just how much I love you, how much _I_ miss _you_…"

Mabel made another sniff, and kept watching her twin cry and be ignored by his fellow peers. "I really hope things will get better for you in high school…If I could just still be here to be by your side into those dreaded years…"

Mabel stopped short of her sentence and saw that she once again got transported to another place.

"Dang! How does this even happen?" Mabel let out, but dropped her frustration when she realized where she is.

Piedmont High School.

"Oh no…How much time has passed now…," Mabel could guess what she is about to see.

Judging by the position of the sun, Mabel deduced that it is morning. Probably a little bit before the day's classes are to begin.

Mabel decided to go and look for her brother. She is really unsure and frankly a little frightened to see how he is doing, but at the same time, she knows she has to see. It's her brother. She always needs to know if he is all right.

Mabel went into one of the buildings, and very soon found Dipper.

A noticeably older Dipper. About twice the height he and Mabel were when they were just 12 years old. He has grown some chin hair but still retains his original facial structure. The boy, probably around 16 years old, and in junior year as a result, still looked lanky and his arms with a noodle-like flexibility, and is sporting the same cap and blue vest.

The teenage boy simply stood there, a small flower in his hand. Mabel looked ahead and saw a girl a few lockers down browsing through her phone.

"Oh no…This really cannot end well…It just won't…," Mabel grimaced. She knows all too well about Dipper's inability to get along with his female classmates and his miserable attempts at confessing his feelings to a crush. Every time, it results in a heart that only Mabel has the ability to glue back together.

But Mabel isn't here. Well, here in physical space, anyways. Again, Mabel is just a ghost that no one can see or hear, so technically, she's not present.

The older Dipper took a deep breath and started approaching the girl of his interest. Mabel could see he still has his sweating problem, and his cheeks are already turning light red.

"Hi Katy," Dipper addressed the girl.

The girl pushed back her blonde, curly hair from her face and looked up at Dipper. "Hey Dipper," she said. Mabel could sense a hint of irritation in her tone.

The first sign that this is already going down the hatch.

"Well, um…I was just wondering if…um…well…I mean, Valentine's Day is this weekend, and, uh…OOPS! Did I say Valentine's Day? Shoot!" Dipper grunted. Oh, the poor, socially awkward boy…Mabel can feel her stomach twisting.

"Valentine's Day, huh?" Katy raised her eyebrow. "Well that explains the flower. Which in turn explains why my nose suddenly feels itchy. I'm allergic to pollen."

"OH! I'm so sorry!" Dipper fumbled. "I mean, flowers are usually what a guy gives to a girl when, uh…well…"

"Yeah, yeah, when the guy is into the girl. Come on, _Dipstick_," Katy used the all-too-familiar insult against the nervous boy. "I could sense a mile away that you have a huge crush on me. Many people already know about it. And frankly, it's really, and I mean REALLY embarrassing…," Katy sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Geez, you truly are one heck of a disappointment, did you know that?"

_Please don't make him feel any worse…please don't make him feel any worse…_Mabel begged inside her head.

"So…I'm guessing you aren't interested in going out with me this upcoming Valentine's?" Dipper continued on awkwardly.

"No, no, and absolutely, hands down, one hundred percent, never-in-a-million-years NO!" Katy spat at Dipper. "Now run along. Seriously, what in tarnation are you still standing here for? GET LOST, YOU DOUBLE-DIPPING LAME-O CREEP!"

Katy used her finger to flick Dipper's nose. She then grabbed the flower in his hand and crushed it with her fingers. She opened up her palm and let the remains sprinkle onto the floor.

"Ouch…," Dipper let out. Katy huffed and stormed away.

_No…oh no…no, no, no…_Mabel could hear Dipper's heart shattering, and her own following suit.

The teenage boy made a huge sigh. "Well, another Valentine's Day, another rejection…A rejection that I should have seen coming but still let my pride get in the way anyways. Why do I even bother?" Dipper grumbled to himself.

A few nearby students gaped and chuckled at what they just saw. Dipper simply ignored them. He's used to being humiliated in front of everyone else by a girl he thought was sweet but really just waiting for the perfect moment to punch his ribs. Almost literally.

"Ah, how nice it would to have a girlfriend…to go out together, hold hands, lean on each other's shoulder, kiss under the moonlight…to be there for each other…BLAH!" Dipper's sad face turned into an irritated frown. "What kind of sick joke does romance keep shoving me into? This was like, what, the fifth rejection since Wendy? So that means I have been rejected…SIX TIMES! GAH! What an imbecile I am to think that the next girl I mindlessly fall in love with would finally be the one to accept the bumbling, EQ-less weirdo that I am! That's it! The next time I fall in love, I'm going to treat it like I'm hypnotized! HYPNOTIZED! Cause I won't even look for love anymore! I GIVE UP!"

Dipper flipped around and stomped away. Mabel wanted to follow him, but lacked the willpower to do so. Besides, if she did, she would probably find him in a dark, lonely place where he can continue weeping and pitying himself.

And the last thing Mabel wants to hear anymore is Dipper's ramble to no one on how girls just hate him and how he is destined to remain single for life.

If only she could tell him from the bottom of her heart that he will get married one day and he can't just give up. That he is the best boyfriend, fiancé, and future husband that any girl could ever ask for. That just because every girl in his high school hates him doesn't mean that there isn't a girl anywhere else that may love him back for who he is.

But she can't.

_Why…Just why…_Mabel thought. "WHY MUST EVERYONE ALWAYS BE SO MEAN TO DIPPER?! TO MY _BROTHER_?!" Mabel shouted out loud.

Mabel descended into a deep sob of her own. "Oh Dipper, I'm so sorry…I'm sorry I can't be here for you…"

Mabel covered her face with her hands and continued letting her tears flow. "It's harder for me to see you go through all of this…Seriously, you never did anything to deserve all of this…Oh, bro-bro, if only you knew how much I miss you…Miss you much more than you are missing me…I really want to be by your side…but I'm dead…Dead for years…"

Mabel just floated there, loudly weeping, sniffing, and apologizing for her absence. The hallway around her continued about as it always was, with students at their lockers, talking amongst each other, or heading to their first class of the day.

No one knows she is there.

Dipper does not know she is there.

But if only he could.

…

_To be continued_


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Thursday, August 31, 2017. 3:15 AM. Piedmont, California.

At the exact same time, Dipper and Mabel woke up and sat up straight, panicked and breathing heavily. They both looked around their respective rooms, and soon calmed down, registering the fact that they are still at home.

Once their individual security has been established, the two quickly shifted their thoughts to their twin.

Mabel was the first to jump out of her bed and head to her sibling's room. Just as Dipper was stepping out of his own sheets, the door opened, revealing Mabel.

"Dipper?" Mabel said.

"Mabel! Oh…I was…just going to see you, um, too," Dipper responded back.

Dipper shifted up against the head-board of his bed, and moved over a little. Mabel came over, climbed onto the bed, and sat down in the spot next to Dipper.

"Dipper, I…," Mabel tried saying. However, the emotions of her recent dream threatened to make her start crying again. She cleared her throat. "Dipper, I had a nightmare…"

"I can tell…," Dipper put his arm around Mabel. "And actually…I just had one too."

"You did?" Mabel perked up.

Dipper nodded his head. He took a deep breath, trying to stay together and not let himself fall into the guilt and heartbreak from the contents of his own dream.

"Do you…want to talk about it?" Mabel asked.

"I – I don't know…," Dipper said hesitantly. "It's all so painful. I had…another nightmare…involving _you_."

"Seriously? _My_ nightmare was about _you_…," Mabel revealed.

"I guess we can both figure out what we were afraid of, and ended up seeing in our respective dreams…," Dipper sighed.

"I suppose. I highly doubt this was even a coincidence. But we'll never know for sure unless we muster up the courage to just spill it…"

"We may feel better afterwards, once we got all our feelings out…"

"Yeah."

The two just sat there, not saying anything else. The room is dark, with none of the lights turned on. Some light from the outside streetlamps diffused through the cloth of Dipper's drawn curtains, but it provided minimal illumination.

"So…," Mabel broke the silence. "Which one of us should go first?"

"I guess I could," Dipper suggested. He took another deep breath.

"Hey, it's alright. Take your time. We both have had it really hard…," Mabel reassured. She leaned her head against Dipper and rubbed her cheeks on his shoulder.

Dipper continued sitting, his arm pulling Mabel closer to him, for several more moments. He let out a sigh, gathered up his energy, and began retelling his ordeal.

"Mabel, you know our first summer in Gravity Falls? Back in 2012?" Dipper started.

"Very vividly, of course. Where are you going with this?"

"Well, you know how we had a fight near the end? Because, um…," Dipper cleared his throat. "Because I wanted to take Great Uncle Ford's offer of being his apprentice? And you didn't want to go back on your own, because you were scared of being alone? Alone…to grow up?"

"I remember it all too well. It was one of the worst we ever had," Mabel could already sense what it was Dipper might have suffered in his dream. However, she let her brother continue.

"Yeah. Anyways, in this dream, I actually decided to be Great Uncle's Ford apprentice, and stay in Gravity Falls."

"I thought so."

"It seemed exciting at first. But I don't know how, but somehow, I was just able to see how _you_ were faring on the other hand. I was able to see how you were coping in middle school, and later, in high school. Basically, how well you were able to survive on your own through those horrid teenage years…"

Dipper paused to take several more deep breaths. He swallowed some saliva and continued. "You were very scared of going back by yourself. You were scared of what the future entailed. You were scared of growing up, having to face new challenges. Well, I guess I could say that I saw, what you were afraid of happening, well, happening," Dipper let out a sniff. He rubbed his nose and made another sigh.

"I really can guess what it is you might have saw," Mabel said softly. She lifted her head from Dipper's shoulder. And soon after, it became Dipper's turn to lean against Mabel. Mabel took out her arm and wrapped it around her brother, gently pushing him against her side.

Dipper soon started shedding tears. Nonetheless, he persisted in finishing his tale. "You were struggling with your schoolwork, because of my absence. Without my help, you weren't able to do well in class, and that made you question yourself, again…To hear you call yourself stupid, it just broke my heart. I knew that academics wasn't always your strongest point, so it really hurt to see you blame yourself for being so-called 'dumb' when really it was all me…And then, I saw you all by yourself, in high school, with no friends, ignored and ostracized…Your fear of everyone hating you came true, right there…"

Dipper took one more deep breath, still trying his best to limit more tears from flowing out. "And – and I suppose, the hardest part for me to see…was you, later down the line, give up your, um, 'silliness'…You had several times been self-conscious on you being, well, childish, and goofy, and being into happy stuff all the time…But I was always there to convince you that you are who you are, and that at least _I_, your very own brother, loved you for it. Without me though, I guessed there was no way you could have known how I always felt…And you probably let your peers' teasing and mocking get to you, because you decided to give it all up. You became…_serious._ Oh, how it pained _me_ to see you so…_un-Mabel_."

Dipper shut his eyes tight, more tears streaming out. He started gently sobbing, and dug his face into Mabel's sweater, guilt and shame finally overcoming him.

"Aw, Dipper…," Mabel stroked Dipper's hair in an effort to comfort him.

"I'm so sorry Mabel," Dipper choked out. "I knew that taking Ford's apprenticeship would have been a big mistake, but I could have never guessed the REAL amount of damage it could have done_…_Oh, why did I even consider in the first place? I was so caught up with my admiration for the Author of the Journals, so caught up in being presented a chance to embrace what I thought was my destiny…I nearly shut out the one person who had always been there for me, the one person who always meant more than I can ever express. Heck, if I recall correctly, I already was pushing you away even before the offer came…Ugh, I guess I really was that stupid! Oh…"

Dipper spluttered and continued sobbing into Mabel's shoulder. Mabel wrapped her other arm around her brother and hugged him tight. She pressed her face against Dipper's hair, and felt a few tears of her own slip out as well, moistening the uncombed strands.

"Dipper…," Mabel sniffed. "It's okay. What mattered is that you chose not to take the apprenticeship in the end. And who knows, maybe I would have been just fine even if you did, and I just let my bad day get the best of me…," Mabel wished she actually believe her last sentence, given how in her own dream it was clearly not the case. While it was _Dipper_ suffering _her_ absence, Mabel easily felt the same, even as a dead spirit.

"Would you, though? We were always together, and I mean ALWAYS…," Dipper choked out.

"Well…I guess you're right," Mabel sighed. "My dream does prove that. Kind of."

"What do you mean?"

Mabel sighed again. It's time for her to share her dream now, and have both of them shed even more tears. But it needs to be done. The girl swallowed her saliva and went on.

"Dipper…In _my_ dream, we also got separated…But how it happened was, that, during our final battle against Bill Cipher…," It had been a long time since Mabel had said that dreaded name; the monster they had defeated and never heard from since had largely been reduced to a thing of the past.

"No, oh no…," Dipper let out weakly

"He did, um, end up, uh… _killing_ me…," Mabel could feel being on the verge of breaking down herself.

"No, no, no…," Dipper kept repeating. He pressed his face harder against Mabel's shoulder.

"But the _real_ pain actually came from me seeing _you_ handling your life without _me_," Mabel continued. She inhaled slightly, still trying to keep her own emotions under control.

"Huh?" Dipper looked up at Mabel. "You dreamed how _I_ was like with _you_ being the one gone?"

"Yeah. At least what I saw, as a ghost, I suppose, just floating there in space, you did no better than how _I _did in _your_ dream," Mabel explained.

Mabel made a small sniff, and wiped some tears from her eyes. "I first saw you mourning in my room, sometime after my supposed funeral, holding close to you one of my sweaters. It seemed like you had been there for hours, maybe even days…You didn't talk, didn't move, didn't do anything…You just laid on the floor, crying…Oh, how it shattered my heart to see _your_ heart shattered just shortly after my departure…"

"That…does sound like something I actually would do if you…if you actually had…," Dipper tried saying.

"No, please don't say it…," Mabel pleaded. "Just don't, please…" Mabel sniffed some more.

"So, what did you see next? I mean, surely at some point I must have stopped hopelessly moping…"

"Well, next, and frankly very unsurprisingly…I saw you still being picked on. At school, in eighth grade, you were helpless to defend yourself against the usual bullies. And not one person bothered to help you, or comfort you when you started feeling bad about yourself afterwards. I – I really fell apart seeing you without your only friend, your lifetime companion, your protector…your _twin_. Your beloved twin, that you adored so much and did everything you could to protect her…She's gone…"

"And then?"

"And then…I saw you being romantically rejected, in high school…Yeah, I even had to be tortured _again_ via how you could never seem to get a girl to even respect you as a person. I was the _only_ girl who actually loved you, but with me, um, dead in my dream…There was none other. You may be with Wendy _now_, in the _real world_, and have been happily dating her for over two years…But I guess if I really wasn't with you in those three years between our first summer at Gravity Falls and now, your confidence would have taken a steeper dive…So there you were, 16 years old, and still single and your a-dork-able, awkward self…I saw a girl shove you away. Didn't seem too different from how those other girls treated you in real life…but it wasn't any less painful. In fact, more so since I was physically unable to comfort you, to reassure you, to let you know that there is at least one girl who does love you for who you are, and that's _me_…But I was just a ghost, invisible to everyone, and all I could do was watch you run off and weep to yourself on how hopeless you are with romance…"

Mabel used her sleeve to wipe more tears from her eyes. "There. That's my dream…Now I finally understand completely why back then, shortly after we had our battle with that, um, demonic triangle, you were so crushed and so guilty over my near-death experience…Because part of you was also scared on handling the rest of your life without _me_…"

"On top of the fact that I just got you back after we had one of the most splitting fights we ever had, and it was a fight that was all my fault…," Dipper added. "I couldn't have lived with the shame and heartbreak if I were to lose you once more…"

"No Dipper, please, please don't go back there again," Mabel begged. "We already have, and I thought you accepted that we shouldn't dwell on what _could have_ happened, but focus on what _did_ happen instead…"

"Mabel…," Dipper wheezed. "I really, really am scared, even now, on how things could have been had you been, been…," Dipper let out a deep breath. "And I'm also equally scared of the possible results of taking Ford's apprenticeship…I'm just…so…scared…the potential alternative outcomes just freak me out…"

"I know, Dipper…I know…," Mabel comforted. She pressed her cheek against Dipper's hair again, and patted his back.

"I love you Mabel…," Dipper said very softly. "You are precious beyond words…And I really couldn't see ourselves separated…"

"Neither can I…You are super-duper precious to me too, Dip," Mabel replied. "I love you very, very much as well."

"I'm so sorry, Mabel…,"

"You never had anything to be sorry over. And even if you did, I would have forgiven you long before that."

Dipper let out a small whimper. Mabel squeezed her brother more tightly.

"Shhh…We are here, together, in the present, in the real world…Any alternative outcomes never happened…," Mabel reassured quietly. "And that is all that should matter…It's okay, don't cry…," Mabel made another sniff.

The two continued embracing each other, sniffing softly and letting more tears and any attached feelings flow out, for several more minutes in the quiet darkness. As hurt as both of them are right now, they both relished the warmth and comfort that their twin is transferring over. Nothing gives them more peace than simply being within the arms of their beloved sibling.

Dipper and Mabel let go from each other, finally having exhausted all their tears. They looked at each other, and both broke a slight smile.

"It always works, doesn't it…," Mabel commented.

"Yes, yes it does," Dipper chuckled slightly.

The boy made a small exhale, and turned back towards Mabel. He got up onto his knees, and gently pressed his lips against his sister's forehead. Mabel let out a deep, affectionate purr in response.

"Dipper…," Mabel said. "Can I sleep with you for the rest of the night?"

"Absolutely, please do. I really don't want you to leave me right now…"

Mabel slid down into the covers and plopped her head onto one side of the pillow. Dipper followed suit, and proceeded to wrap his arms around Mabel and pull her against him. Mabel curled up into a ball, soaking in her brother's protective embrace, and made another small purr.

"Happy Birthday, Dip-dot," Mabel said softly.

"Happy Birthday to you too, you little grown-up stinker," Dipper replied back.

Mabel made a small chuckle, and closed her eyes, allowing herself to descend into full housecat mode inside Dipper's grasp.

And in less than a minute, the teens – now officially adults – fell back asleep, and peacefully slumbered until the sun was well above the hills of the East Bay.

…

_To be continued_

**Sorry for the long hiatus! I was stuck with writer's block yet again…unfortunately this was a major reason why I decided to retire from fan fiction writing in the first place, as I felt like I had lost my writer's touch, so to speak…**

**The next and last chapter should be up as soon as tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday. Thanks so much for your patience and following along from the beginning, if you had.**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Thursday, August 31, 2017. 10:45 AM. Pines family household, Piedmont, California.

It is a pleasant morning over the small East Bay town. While the Peninsula and the Golden Gate Bridge off in the distance are still shrouded in their signature fog, the Oakland and Contra Costa County area have plenty of sunshine, with many fluffy cumulus clouds drifting above and a comfortable, cool temperature no higher than 20 degrees Celsius.

Mr. Pines has taken the day off from work in order to spend time with his now-grown up kids on their special milestone birthday. The living room and adjacent kitchen are already filled with a good number of family friends and relatives and a few classmates of Dipper and Mabel's whose colleges have not yet started the school year.

The middle-aged man is near the front door, welcoming in guests. And there is only one left who just came.

"Ah, Mr. Riley, my boy!" Mr. Pines exclaimed as he let in the lanky youngster. "About time you came. Your girlfriend – and bride-to-be, dare I say – has gotten quite angst-y."

"Please, sir, just call me Larry," the boy responded, blushing a little at Mr. Pines' joking "bride-to-be" comment.

"LARRY! You're finally here!" Mabel suddenly rushed out of nowhere and wrapped her boyfriend into a choking hug, before giving him a massive kiss – multiple massive kisses.

"I miss you too, Mabel, even though it's only been…two days?" Larry let out after Mabel loosened her grip on him, slightly flushed from all the sudden affection.

"Might as well been two years. Come on! You arrived in just the nick of time!" Mabel grabbed Larry's wrist and started aggressively dragging him over to the kitchen. Mr. Pines simply just rolled his eyes smiling and followed the couple over to where the main event is to take place.

Dipper, wearing a birthday cone snugly above his lumberjack hat – somehow – is already sitting down by the dining table, a large, specially-frosted cake sitting in front of him and the chair meant for Mabel. Mrs. Pines and her mother-in-law are standing not too far from him.

Mabel plopped Larry down into a chair meant for him and only him to sit in at one side of the dining table, and dashed over to her spot next to Dipper. The boy readjusted the cone on top of his sister's head.

"All right everybody, we are all set!" Mabel called out. "Now how about we all gather around for the opening ceremony!"

Everyone stopped talking and turned towards the birthday twins. Mr. Pines came over with two candles – meant to resemble the number 18 – and gently stuck those on top of the cake, which read "HAPPY 18 B-DAY DIP AND MAB" in neatly laid out red-purple frosting over the white-colored cream coating.

"Here we are to celebrate the birthday of two very special persons here, who are also best buds and simply the most unbreakable sibling pair ever!" Mr. Pines exclaimed. The other guests clamored excitedly and applauded slightly in response.

"Come on dad, light the candles already! That's supposed to be the best part!" Mabel urged. Dipper only laughed and rolled his eyes, knowing that at 18 years old, his sister is still and will always be one big adorable child.

"Indeed-y it is. Now how about a little song for our dear Mason and Mabel now, shall we? To mark their first step into being fully adults, and no longer the small little gumdrops they were just yesterday."

"Aw, dad!" Mabel commented. Larry and a few of the guests snickered.

"Ah come on, you two may be 18, but you'll always be my and your mom's biggest babies," Mr. Pines continued teasing. More lighthearted laughter from the guests.

"Yeah, yeah, we love you too dad. Now light 'em up so we can make our wishes!" Mabel eagerly gestured towards the "18" candle on the cake.

Mr. Pines got out a small gas lighter and carefully lit the candles. Mrs. Pines went to the other side of the table from her two children with her phone.

"Smile for some pictures!" Mrs. Pines exclaimed.

Dipper and Mabel put their arms around each other's shoulders and leaned their heads closer as their mom snapped several photos. They made the biggest smiles they have ever made since bidding their best friends up in Gravity Falls goodbye earlier in mid-July after their usual annual trip to the small town.

After a couple additional shots of Mabel death-cuddling Larry with Dipper posed as the obvious third wheel – at Mabel's insistence, of course – the time for the actual singing of the birthday song came.

"_Happy birthday to you_…" the parents, Larry, and all the other guests present started singing in unison. Dipper and Mabel simply smiled and huddled closer together as everyone else sang.

"…_to Mason and Mabel_…_Happy birthday to YOU_!" the song ended, and everyone soon started clapping. One of the guests pulled a party popper, letting out a large bang and scattering small amounts of confetti.

"Now's your chance you two, make a wish!" Larry exclaimed.

The twins made a quick glance at each other and turned back towards the candles. After a brief pause – or mentally making their respective wishes – Dipper and Mabel blew out the flames in unison and in one shot. The two made another large grin.

"Woo-hoo!" Larry shouted. Some nearby guests applauded as well.

"So, how do you two officially-crowned adults feel right now?" Mr. Pines asked. "Same-y, but different-y?"

"You know dad…," Mabel started. "This time…we're just going to go with same-y. Honestly, looking back at everything me and Dipper had gone through, nothing has really changed."

"We may have grown older physically, but both of us agreed, we are still children at hearts," Dipper added. "What has really stayed constant throughout these years, and will remain so in the years to come, is how we never left sight of the truly most important thing in our lives."

"Our twin," Mabel said at the exact same time as Dipper. The two leaned closer to each other and slipped their arms around each other once more.

"That is very wise and heartfelt," Larry commented.

"Indeed it is," Mr. Pines nodded in agreement.

"No matter where our futures take us, it will always be us two together!" Mabel proclaimed.

"We've never strayed apart growing up, even with numerous challenges and obstacles hurled at us that tested our bond," Dipper explained. "But despite all those, we always managed to stick together and come out stronger and closer than ever. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can ever separate us two. Because we are the _Mystery Twins_!" Dipper pulled Mabel closer to him.

"Yes we are, bro-bro, yes we are!" Mabel chirped in agreement. "Oh, I love you so much, Dip-dot!" Mabel threw her arms around her brother and held him in a tight hug. She proceeded to give him a big kiss on the cheek.

"I love you very much too, Mabel," Dipper replied back, returning the hug. The other guests simply awed in response. Mrs. Pines snapped a couple photos of the twins in their deep embrace.

"Now come on!" Mabel yelled as she jumped out of her seat. "That was only the start of the party. We got the entire day to blow the roof off this house! Dad, turn up the music!"

"Way ahead of you!" Mr. Pines rushed over to an old-fashioned record player and turned it on. An upbeat polka musical track started playing. All the other guests happily clamored.

The rest of the day went by swimmingly – it was simply a party all day, a Pines-style party. Filled with dancing, karaoke, food, bantering, and of course, presents for the birthday pair. Everyone was elated throughout and never felt anything less.

Nothing better could mark this coming-of-age for the Mystery Twins.


End file.
